Socket for fluorescent lamps



E. kG. GAYNOR `SOCKET FOR FLUORESCENT LAMPS Aug. 24, 194s.

Filedl June 20, 1946 lNvl-:NToR EDWIN E'. EAWUR BY 'I ,l l TTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 24, `1948 STATES* i PATENTy` GFI-ICE SOCKETFOR;LFLUORESGENTLAMPS Gli Gaynor; llarfi'eld,l Conn.

Applicationilune 20;1946; Serial No;- 677,960 `f shown. However, it -is tobe'understood that theinvention is ynot .limited toI the' details disclosed' but includes all suclr Variations and modifications as fall kwithin thespirit ofthezinvention .and the scope of the appended: claims.V

In thedrawings' Fig.r 1 is a front 1 elevational vview showing the socket oi' the invention;

Fig. 2' isa rear 'elevational `view thereof Fig. 3 is a viewsimilartoFig.1butsuggesting the manner in which' a contact 'element'may be Fig. 4 is ar sectional viewtaken :inwardlyy of but parallel to the lface of .th'e socket;

Figf' is afb'ot'tomv :plan'iviewf-of the socket:

Fig. 6* is` al1. central horizontal sectional fview throughzzthe `socketshowingfthersamev attached to@ ar support; as;y for.: example,l a=` portion of a`v re ector; and'l Fig; 7 vis ra view asimilary tocFi'gf 11' but'showing the contact :pins of'a fluorescent 'lanipfipositioned"v in the socket;V

Referring in .detail toL the drawing; at` Illf is` generally! indicatedl the" improved one-'piecev socket andthe ysame Iis :"of r. avmolded' construction of some resilientorc: yielding material.` Prefer#A ably, .the socket'. Iiis molded `of iarticial rubber or synthetic elastomervof vartypercapableof with'- standing relatively? highv temperatures;Y As

shown,socket`l0 comprisesabodyII in the'form of a relativelythick'idisc havingfavilat' face I2 andv having f its `ibacki;k I 3' flat .with .the J exception" that the sance I carriesfa small' f protuberance I 4f. the purpose ofawhichlwillappear. Also, .openingf through the bachi-of the :'bodyvis:asm'allfrecess .I 5 i or fthe creceptionfof lan: ianchoringv 'screw-GI B! Within the body I I :isapairfof spaced-.chambers f IE and I1;` such; chambers '5beingf:separatedf=by arelativelythickzresilient :wall portion'. :,I 85:' Apair of lamp' 'terminal' .entrance slots 1 I 9i and12open: through the-front Yface 5I 2 andLzthe .loweredge voi? u the body I I and' inwardly oifsuch edgezth'esefslots. alsoenter the respectivechambers; IBzan'd .'III` A's will be clearjfromfithe =drawing;\ the-zechambersfz extend :inwardly beyondthesends 'of slots: I9 r"land L. 2B tandefurther f these :chambers :textend laterally` l" 2 of the'slots and toward one another whereby inwardl'y'vfa'cing shoulders 2| and 22 'are formed at the :lower or "outer ends of thechamber portions laterallywoftheentrance slots.

Extendingfromf the innerends of the chambers are'openings or-passages 23 vand 2lthrough which conductors25 and Zliware` threaded whereby the conductors-pass out-.ofthe body II through the edgevthereofxopposite that through which the 4entrances -I9fand 20fopen; Within the chambers lf'andxI I1 are-'similar but oppositely arranged contact elements.V generally' designated. 21 and 28. Such elements'are preferably made of a spring metal and each comprises a `shortconnector arm ,Z9-andiarrselongatedcontact arm 30 disposedat an acute :angle to the connector arm. lntermediate their ends the contact arms are offsetto provide shoulderelike portions 3l adapted to enter partly under lamp' terminal pins when the socket of thefinventioni is'in'use.v

The lengthoi each'connectorarm 29 is preferablyr slightlyfgreater" than the width of the inner?. end pfortion Vof the respective chambers I 6 andillwh'ereby the free ends of said connector warms enter. slightly intotheinner portion of the separatingwall'18,V asat 32, and lthe bends 33 of theselements at the juncture of the arms thereof, als'oseatsthemselvesain the resilient material of thefb'ody'at the outer sides of the chambers.

Wh'en the contact elements are fully home their connector` arms 29 1are against the inner ends of the-chambers and'it is to such arms that the conductors 25and26"`are connected in any suitable manner. At this time,the elongated contact aarms 30 fof the elements extend diagonally downwardly and'lacross the chambers IS and I1 and the terminal `pin entrance slots I9 and 2!) and havef'theirfee ends'disposed over the shoulders 2| land i221A and againstor approximately against therdividingvwall I8. Thelocation of the shoulders-3| along `the length ofthe contact arms 30 is suchthatsaid shoulders are .exposed through the entrance slots.

Fig.4 fsuggests the manner in which the co1nplete-socket oi-the invention may be assembled and disassembled. The conductors being connected'with `the arms 29;` such conductors are threadedl through thefentrance slots, the chambers; and theropenings '23 and 24; as suggested by the conductorlfin Fig. 3. Then, the entire body II Ibeingeof resilient-material, an outer wall portionwth'ere'ofis stretched or deilected outwardly as fsuggestedibywthe broken flines 34 andthe contactr28 lmovedLthrou'gh the relatively narrow entrance slot 20 intothe chamber I'I.` The contact dividing wall I8.

may be pushed into place until its free end is within the body or it may be moved to nal position by pulling on the conductor 26. As the contact is moved into position the bringing of its arm 29 against the inner end wall of the chamber insures that the free end 35 of the contact arm 30 of the element will be shifted to a position inwardly of the shoulder 22 and against or approximately against the lower portion of the The assembled socket is adapted to be mounted on any suitable support, as for example, on a reflector or the like, a portion of which is suggested at 35 in Fig. 6. Preferably, an opening is provided in such reflector portion for the reception of protuberance I4 and also a second opening 3l is provided through which the mounting screw t6 may pass. With the protuberance I4 in one opening of the support, the center mounting screw will hold the socket against the support and the two points of connection will insure the socket remaining in proper alignment and hold it against turning movement about the screw. Clearly, in place of the protuberance I4 the body I I may have a recess to accommodate a protuberance or lug formed on the support 3G.

When the socket of the invention is in use it is merely necessary to insert the terminals 38 of a lamp (not shown) into the entrance slots I9 and and then to shift the lamp to carry such terminals longitudinally of said slots. .As this movement occurs, said lamp terminals engage the outer sides ofthe contact arms 3l) of the elements 27 and 28, and tend to force said arms toward one another. When the terminals are fully home they are over the shoulders 3l (see Fig. '7).

'I'here is no danger of the terminals being released since the free end portions of the contact arms are forced against the resilient dividing wall portion I8 of the socket body and thus the resilient body itself maintains a tension on the contact arms Sil of the elements when such arms are in engagement with the lamp terminals 38. Thus the resiliency of the body is an advantage, not only when assembling the contacts in the body, but also at all times during which the contacts are engaged by the terminal pins of the lamp. The resilient body is attempting to expand to normal and maintains a constant tension. on the arms and a constant pressure by the arms outwardly against the lamp terminals.

The free ends 35 of the contact arms being disposed over the shoulders ZI and 22, it will be apparent that movement of the lamp terminals 38 downwardly to withdraw them from the socket, or in the direction of the length of the entrance slots, will not result in movement or dislocation of the contact elements. This resistance to casual displacement is assisted by the connector arms 29 of the elements andtheir position with respect to the end walls of the chambers.

However, if for any reason it is desirable to remove one of the contacts from the socket, an outer wall of the socket may be deformed, as suggested by the broken lines in Fig. 3, and the free end 35 of the contact arm of such element moved outwardly off its shoulder and then the entire element withdrawn from the body, as to the position of element 28 in Fig. 3. Thus the resilient body is useful in the assembly of the present socket and in the dis-assembly thereof, should it become necessary to equip the same with new conductors or the like.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a uorescent lamp socket, a resilient onepiece body having a pair of contact pin receiving entrances opening through an edge and a side thereof, said entrances in the form of parallel slots where they open through said side and extend inwardly from said edge, said body having a pair of chambers therein spaced and separated by a portion of the body and vcommunicating one with each of said entrances, said chambers extending in said body beyond the inner ends of said entrances and laterally of said entrances toward one another but inwardly of said edge whereby inwardly facing shoulders are formed, said body having passages for lead wires extending from thel inner ends of the respective chambers out through the edge of the body opposite the edge through which the entrances open, a contact element in each of said chambers Yand each comprising a connector arm disposed against the inner end of its chamber and a substantially diagonal piece extending from the outer end of the connector arm and having its free end above said shoulder whereby the latter prevents casual movement of the Contact element out of the chamber, each of said diagonal portions partly exposed in said slot-like portions of the respective entrances and in such portions adapted to be engaged on their outer sides by the contact pins of a fluorescent lamp and pressed toward one another whereby their free ends are pressed against said dividing part of the resilient body and the resiliency of said part assists in putting a continual tension on the contacts while they are engaged by the terminals of the lamp, and said diagonal pieces depressed toward one another in said exposed portions thereby providing shoulders partly overlapping the lamp terminals when the latter are fully home.

2. In a lamp socket, a body having a pair of spaced chambers therein separated by resilient wall portions, means providing inwardly facing shoulders at the respective sides of said wall, a Contactin each of said chambers, said contacts each including an arm supported at one end against an outer side wall of the chamber and an elongated arm, spaced lamp terminal entrance slots opening'through the front wall of the body into the respective chambers and extending substantially in the direction of the length of the elongated arms, each of said elongated arms extending diagonally across an entrance slot with its free end positioned above one of said shoulders and to engage and be forced against said resilient wall portions when engaged on their outer sides by lamp terminals whereby such wall portions assist in tensioning said arms while the latter are engaged by said lamp terminals, and said elongatedl arms depressed toward one another intermediate their ends thereby providing shoulders partly overlapping the lamp terminals when the latter are moved fully home.

3. In a lamp socket, a resilient body having a pair of spaced chambers therein, a contact in each of said chambers, said contacts each including an arm disposed against an upper wall of a chamber and extending across the latter and engaging the opposite side walls of the chamber, each of said contacts also including an elongated arm in angular relation to said arm and connected with the outer end thereof, spaced lamp terminal entrance slots opening through the front wall of said body into the respective chambers and extending substantially in the direction of the length of said elongated arms, means providing an inwardly faced shoulder at each side of the re silient body portion portion between said chambers, each of said elongated arms extending diagonally across an entrance slot with its free end positioned above one of said shoulders and to engage and be forced against the portion of the resilient body between said chambers when said arms are located between and engaged on their outer sides by lamp terminals whereby such body portions assist in tensioning said arms while the latter are engaged by said lamp terminals, and said elongated arms depressed toward one another intermediate their ends thereby providing shoulders partly overlapping the lamp terminals when the latter are moved fully home.

4. In a lamp socket, a resilient body having a pair of spaced chambers therein, a contact in each of said chambers, said contacts each including an arm disposed against an upper wall of a chamber and extending across the chamber and engaging the opposite side walls of the latter, each of said contacts also including an elongated arm in angular relation to said arm and connected With the outer end thereof, spaced lamp terminal entrance slots opening through the front Wall of said body into the respective chambers and extending substantially in the direction of the length of said elongated arms, means providing an inwardly facing shoulder at each side of the resilient body portion between said chambers, each of said elongated arms extending diagonally across an entrance slot with its free end positioned above one of said shoulders and to engage and be forced against the portion of the resilient body between said chambers when said arms are located between and engaged on their outer sides by lamp terminals whereby such body portions assist in tensioning said arms while the latter are engaged by said lamp terminals, and said diagonally disposed arms having transversely deflected portions providing shoulders partly overlapping the lamp terminals when the latter are moved fully home.

5. In a lamp socket, a one-piece resilient body having a pair of spaced chambers therein, a contact in each of said chambers, said contacts each including a connector arm and an elongated contact arm to be engaged by a lamp terminal, spaced lamp terminal entrance slots opening through the front wall of the body into the respective chambers and extending substantially in the direction of the lengths of the respective elongated contact arms, each of said contacts having its `arms at an acute angle to one another with its connector arm against the inner end wall of its chamber and its elongated arm extending diagonally across its entrance slot with its free end against the body portion spacing said chambers, and said elongated arms depressed toward one another intermediate their ends thereby providing shoulders partly overlapping the lamp terminals when the latter are moved fully home.

6. In a lamp socket, a onepiece resilient body having a pair of spaced elongated chambers `therein and spaced lamp terminal entrance slots extending lengthwise of and entering said chambers, shoulders at the outer ends of the Walls of said chambers, a pair of contact elements arranged one in each of said chambers and each comprising a pair of arms at an acute angle to one another, said arms of the elements each including a relatively short and a relatively long arm and arranged with their short arms against the inner ends of the respective chambers and their long arms each extending diagonally across its entrance slot with its free end toward the body portion spacing the chambers and over the shoulders n said chambers whereby the elements are resiliently tensioned on being pressed against said body portion by lamp terminals and are held in place and may not be casually moved out through the ends of said chambers, and said long arms of said elements depressed toward one another intermediate their ends thereby providing shoulders partly overlapping the lamp terminals when the latter are moved fully home.

'7. In a lamp socket, a one-piece resilient body having a pair of spaced elongated chambers therein and spaced lamp terminal entrance slots extending lengthwise of and entering said chambers, shoulders at the outer ends of the walls of said chambers, a pair of contact elements arranged one in each of said chambers and each comprising a pair of arms at an acuate angle to one another, said arms of the elements each including a relatively short and a relatively long arm and arranged with their short arms against the inner ends of the respective chambers and their long arms extending diagonally across its entrance slot with its free end over the shoulders in said chambers whereby the elements are held in place and may not be casually moved out through the ends of said chambers, and said long arms of said contact elements depressed toward one another intermediate their ends thereby providing shoulders partly overlapping the lamp terminals when the latter are moved fully home.

EDWIN G. GAYNOR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are or record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,312,795 Brownstein Mar. 2, 1943 2,319,693 Kulka May 18, 1943 2,329,464 Gaynor Sept. 14, 1943 2,369,123 Abshire Feb. 13, 1945 

